In a recent interview on The Logan Show, Foreigner bassist Jeff Pilson addressed fans’ complaints about the band’s current lineup. Pilson responded to the criticism by pointing to the band’s ticket sales.
“Well, the ticket sales sort of speak for themselves,” Pilson explained. “Listen, I understand where people are coming from. I understand it. But I also know that with Foreigner, the songs are really the legacy. And so my job, as musical director, is to make sure that the songs sound and deliver in a way that they should. And I think I’m doing my job because… Yes, there are haters online — of course — but I think there’s not as many as you might think.”
“I think their voices are louder than the amount of people doing it, because the ticket sales do speak for themselves and the offers from promoters speak for themselves. We are very well established as Foreigner right now. So, again, if people don’t wanna come because there’s no original members, that’s okay. I understand that. But if you wanna come and hear Foreigner songs done really, really well, come to our show,” he added.
Mick Jones, Foreigner’s last original member, stopped touring regularly due to health problems starting in 2011. The rocker had a heart surgery in 2012. In February, Jones announced he has Parkinson’s disease, and it has kept him from performing live since 2022.
The current Foreigner lineup includes Kelly Hansen on vocals, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson on guitar, Chris Frazier on drums, and Luis Maldonado on guitar, with Pilson on bass.
After singer Lou Gramm left in 2003, Jones took a break before returning with a new lineup a few years later. The new lineup included Hansen and Pilson.
Foreigner was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19. Gramm, Al Greenwood, and Rick Wills attended the ceremony to accept the award, though Mick Jones and Dennis Elliott did not attend.
However, Gramm wasn’t aware that the original Foreigner wouldn’t perform at the ceremony. “As soon as Dennis found out that we weren’t performing on our night, he decided he wasn’t gonna come. And we’re just going, ‘Dennis, come on… We’re gonna play.’ … And then we found out the afternoon of the show that we weren’t performing.”
Jones’ daughter, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, accepted the award on his behalf. Late founding members Ian McDonald and Ed Gagliardi were also honored at the event.
Foreigner recently extended their farewell tour to add a celebration of the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Some original members will join them for select shows, starting with a sold-out three-week residency at the Venetian in Las Vegas. During this residency, original members Rick Wills and Al Greenwood, who often guest with Foreigner, will play with the band for the entire run. Ongoing discussions are also taking place to bring Lou Gramm back as Foreigner approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026.